This smells like the best cost efficient device to use as a media center for the living room. Cheap, put Ubuntu on it for VLC. Leave it on and plugged to your big screen tv 100% of the time. Use my main laptop on my couch to store files via lan, and remote control it.
Is there any better alternative to this? Today I just plug my laptop in and out of the tv when I want to watch, and use my tablet as remote control. I have a xbox, but it's so bad compared to having full vlc. I would pay 250 to save me the trouble of connecting my laptop to the TV. It would be the perfect setup of my dreams.
You don't need to use iTunes. Mountain Lion and a newer Mac can mirror their whole screen natively. For older Macs or Windows PCs there is the third party software "Airparrot" (10 dollars).
If you're like me, it will play about 10% of my collection. WDTV Live, on the other hand, plays everything.
If you're in the Apple eco-system, Apple TV is great. For those who aren't, it's Apple's way or the highway. I'm half in Apple, half out of Apple, and it's a total nightmare.
Is there any better alternative to this? Today I just plug my laptop in and out of the tv when I want to watch, and use my tablet as remote control. I have a xbox, but it's so bad compared to having full vlc. I would pay 250 to save me the trouble of connecting my laptop to the TV. It would be the perfect setup of my dreams.